Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Bill came over with his chain saw to harvest fallen trees;
His twin boys helped him haul it in the cold December breeze.
I watched out of my window as this father taught his sons;
I could see in him parts of the men that they will become.

As they stood a safe distance from the flying pine debris,
Their playful boyish interaction was a joy to see.
They tussled and tumbled in the grass near the tree
I caught glimpses of who this pair will come to be.

Like two young lion cubs learning proper teamwork,
They assured me they were taking a break, not ones to shirk.
Their daddy kept them close, under his watchful, loving gaze,
Taking time to with his children to teach them their family's ways.

It's pure pleasure to see parents teaching children good work;
This, in a small rural community, can be such a perk.
Family businesses thrive when everyone pitches in;
The labor laws don't hold them back;handshakes insure friends.

It is such a pity that so many parents of teenagers
Give up when stakes are highest in the parenting wagers.
The children need us most when they are coming into their own,
Separating the wheat from the chaff in the seeds we have sown.

They don't need for us to defend the mistakes we have made;
They need us to begin evening the odds in the groundwork we've laid.
The benefit is that they may approach the world with justice;
We can enjoy the fruits of our labors while our souls are at rest.

About Me

Since I was a little girl, I've had serious questions about what people said about God, faith, morals, and family. As a grandmother, I have never stopped asking the same questions. One Family, Many Faiths is a forum for sharing explorations of faith and values applied to our own families and other relationships in our lives.